Hey, commuters, do you want to have a better commute, one that’s more productive and less depressing? If so, I have a helpful article for you that I found on boston.com.

Justine Hofherr has written about how bad your everyday commute can be for you. But the good news is, if you use that time to reach out to talk to a stranger you can improve your health and your outlook on life. You’ll be surprised by the results of the research Justine shares that was done by Nicholas Epley, a professor at the University of Chicago: http://bit.ly/1TOUBJK.

I read a great article in Forbes by Jon Youshaei called “How To Meet Amazing People Without Sleazy Networking: Insights From 6,220 Conversations.” He wrote about Ankit Shah, the founder of “Tea with Strangers,” who connects strangers over cups of tea so they can share stories with each other. As Ankit says on his website, “Everyone around you is a person, loaded with stories that you can’t even begin to fathom. They’re different from yours, but the fact that we all have them is what brings us together.”

Ankit has a community of hosts in different cities who bring small, organized groups of strangers together for tea and conversation. There’s no agenda and there are no strings attached—genuine communication between strangers is the only goal. His reason is to “make our cities feel more like neighborhoods” because he believes that “we’re more connected than ever before, but we’re more alone.” Real face-to-face conversations create a sense of belonging and community that makes life better for all of us.

I couldn’t agree with him more. I’m the kind of person who strikes up conversations with strangers every single day. And, yes, I know my cashier at my local Ace Hardware!

That’s why I started my blog, “Strangers I Have Known.” Why not meet someone new every chance you get? There’s always an opportunity for a fresh perspective—just take a minute to reach out to a stranger.

I wish Ankit and his “Tea with Strangers” project all the best. Just think, he’s creating community one cup of tea at a time.

Last night, for the first time, I tipped a clerk at the front desk of my hotel.

I was going to be booted out in the morning because the hotel was all booked up. I needed to stay an extra day, but there were no rooms available. So I went on the Internet in search of some assistance and support. I typed in “how to get a room in a fully booked hotel” and learned that if you find a helpful clerk, it’s important to show your appreciation with a tip. I had no idea! Now I know and I like being in the know.

Wouldn’t it be great not to have to schlep my stuff twenty minutes down the road to the next look-alike hotel in the chain? Armed with this new information, I marched to the front desk and politely asked the young male clerk with the nerdy glasses if any incoming guests had cancelled.

“No, not yet,” he replied. “Keep checking back.”

Courteous? Yes. Useful, no. The hotel was clearly packed, but aren’t these front desk people supposed to be clued-up or clued- in? This was not exceptional service. My tip stayed in my pocket.

That evening, much to my joy, he was not still at the front desk—he’d been replaced by a friendly young woman with hipster black-rimmed glasses. Up to the desk I went again, pasting on my best confident smile. “Did any rooms open up for tomorrow night?” I asked her. “I’ve been hoping and hoping.”

“No,” she said, smiling, and reached for what appeared to be a hotel register. “What’s your room number and name? I’ll write it down.”

Bingo! I knew that I had made a connection. She actually gave a dam and had taken down my information, so I could put new tipping training to the test. The Internet article said to give between five to twenty bucks. This wasn’t New York City, so I handed over a nicely folded ten. She took it happily but with no surprise. As I walked away, I was kind of wishing that I had given her five bucks instead, because what if she didn’t score me a room? But the risk, I decided, was worth it.

All these years, I had known about tipping the bellhops, the housekeepers, and valets when I stayed at a hotel, but this new trick of tipping at the front desk had me returning to my room hopeful.

The next morning, when I woke up I turned over, crossed my fingers, and dialed the front desk.

“Good morning,” said a chipper voice. “May I help you?”

When I asked if a room had opened up, the desk clerk replied quickly with enthusiasm. “Yes, we have a room for you and you don’t even have to move. Just come down when you get a moment to get rekeyed.”

“Hallelujah, hallelujah! Figaro!” I sang as I jumped out of bed.

While I peacefully drank my coffee in the hotel lobby, I thought, Wow, this is so much better than packing up the toothpaste, wheeling my suitcase over my foot and then grunting as I lifted my things into the trunk of my car. That was definitely the best ten bucks I had spent in a long time.